Shades of Blue
by aloistrancing
Summary: After the unfortunate events of the manor catching on fire and the death of their parents, the Phantomhive twins were captured. During their imprisonment they were abused mercilessly day after day, until finally, they overdid it. They put Cerelia through such an overwhelming pain, she had fallen into a coma. Ciel broke down and summoned a demon to do his bidding; promising revenge.
1. A Game

_It was dark._

 _They were in a pitch black room, locked up in small cages like they were all wild animals that needed to be contained. Each cage held two children; whether or not both were alive, though, was a different matter._

 _It's been a month since they've been imprisoned. They were tortured countless times and always in different methods, but they still fought for life - they're still **fighting** for life. __While their actual expectations of survival were low, they still had **hope**. Hope was something a child in this situation could only wish to have, and while most did have it in the beginning, it all but dissipated when the majority of their cellmates perished within the first two weeks._

 _Although the situation they were currently in was godless and utter hell, the two siblings were lucky enough to be put in the same cage as each other._

 _The young girl's eyes constricted as she tried to adjust them to the darkness that enveloped the room, "Ciel?" She whispered, reaching aimlessly around the small cage._

 _"I'm right here." He whispered back in a calming tone, grabbing her hand with a soft squeeze as he intertwined their fingers together._

 _Just then, a door on the opposite side of the room opened up, causing a blinding ray of light to shoot into the room. Truth be told, it really wasn't that bright, but these kids have been in the dark for **days** ; any light was a bright enough one to temporarily impair their vision._

 _Two men who wore the same mask and robe then walked through the doorway and glanced around at all of the children. Their gazes were twisted and disgusting, causing any child who locked eyes with them to cringe involuntarily as their skin crawled._ _  
_

 _"Alright, brats. Any o' you wanna play a game?" The taller man asked, a wide smirk claiming his cracked lips as he looked at the children with eyes that beckoned for the sight of blood. It was obvious he had lost his humanity long ago._

 _The other man remained silent, but the expression in his gaze was no different._ _It was sick._

 _Ciel masked his worry with a warm smile as he looked over to the trembling girl beside him, gently stroking her tiny thumb with his own in attempt to soothe her nerves. It worked to an extent, but not enough to keep her frame from shaking._

 _Although it was true that he was just as scared as her (if not worse), he felt that he had to conceal his emotions for her sake. If he showed any sign of fear, hers would only skyrocket. However, if he could manage to hide it, then maybe she wouldn't feel so afraid._ _This is what has kept them both going for as long as they've been, how they both kept their hope._

 _The tall man scanned over all of the cages with disinterest; all of the children had empty eyes, like they were just hollowed-out shells of their former selves, and they were, in a way. Death tends to take the shine out of one's eyes, you know? However, once his gaze landed on the cage with Ciel and Cerelia, his face lit up._

 _"How 'bout one o' you?" He asked with a large smile, strolling over towards their cage. He knelt down to the point that he was eye-to-eye with them. "You two are the only ones that don't look practically dead yet... How 'bout we give that twinkle in yer eyes a little test?"_

 _Ciel moved over slightly, shielding Cerelia from the man's view as he then spoke in a choked-out, panicked voice, "I-I'll do it..!"_ _He was scared to death for whatever hell awaited him, but he couldn't just let Cerelia go through the pain. She had been through enough already; this was only a small sacrifice on his part._

 _"Ciel..!" Cerelia whisper-shouted, tightening her grip on his hand. She spoke just loud enough for Ciel to hear, but for it to also go undetected by the masked man. The expression those big blue hues held was utterly chilling, full of both fear and fire. Anxiety riddled her voice soundless as she mouthed a silent, "Don't do this."_

 _"Hm... I disagree! The little missy behind ya looks like she's ready for some fun!" The man laughed hysterically, his madness peaking through his joy as he forcefully opened up the cell, reaching in only to roughly push Ciel out of the way, and grab Cerelia by her dirty, matted hair. He yanked her forward, dragging her out into the open without the slightest bit of care as she whimpered quietly under his hold._

 _A tidal wave of anxiety crashed over Ciel as the man lifted his sister off of the ground by her cerulean locks, and placed her on the metal table in the center of the room._ _This wasn't at all what he thought would happen; he thought that he would be the one taking the beating - **not her**._

 _"Alright, boy! Now, this game is pretty simple!" The man exclaimed, holding Cerelia down as the shorter man fastened the straps around her wrists and ankles. "All ya gotta do is guess how long it'll take for the lass to pass out from the pain! If ya guess right, then we won't bother ya for an entire week, but if ya guess wrong, then yer gonna be gettin' what the gal gets!"_

 _Ciel was speechless. Just what was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to **do**? He just wanted the pain to stop, for his innocent sister's suffering to end even if it meant it'd be projected onto him in compensation. He was willing to trade places with her in a heartbeat if it meant Cerelia would be safe._

 _"Well? What's yer answer?" The man asked, surprisingly being patient with the boy. He was enjoying watching the life drain from the young noble's face as he sat there, dumbstruck._

 _Cerelia kept silent where she laid, not wanting to upset their captors in fear she'd receive an even worse punishment. Though, it's not like she could've voiced a single vowel if she wanted to; a lump in her throat rendered her mute as she stayed perfectly still, terrified of what would happen to her within the next few seconds._

 _Tears welled up in Ciel's azure eyes as his throat began to burn, and he could no longer mask his horror as he spoke up in a shaky voice, "Switch us! Let me be over there instead!"_

 _"It ain't no fun if ya WANNA be the punchbag!" The man sighed as he shook his head and looked away, "If yer not gonna play the game, then just stay quiet." He then glanced over to his partner, "What's yer guess?"_

 _"Mm... Five minutes tops, I'd say." He responded with a low, devilish chuckle._

 _"Lets see if yer right!" The taller man cackled, cracking his knuckles as he looked at all of the torture weapons that were sprawled out on the other table that stood parallel to the one Cerelia was occupying. He lifted up a metal rod and grinned as he then glanced over to his accomplice, "Light up the fireplace!"_

 _He did as he was told, and in a flash, the taller man already had the end of the rod poked into the roaring flames. He removed it from the fire and admired the bright red glow it had as he turned to Cerelia. The panic etched in her eyes was enough to awaken the beast within him, and without a moment to spare, he was already pressing the immensely hot rod into the flesh on the inner part of her left thigh._

 _She let out an ear-splitting scream as the metal sizzled against her skin, causing it to swell up and bubble. This only fed into the two men's craving as the taller man dropped the rod onto the ground, discarding it and reaching for other tools with the shorter man joining him in doing so._

 _Ciel watched in terror as his beloved twin sister was mercilessly tortured, and before he was aware of it, a dark aura had formed just outside of his cage._

 _"She's going to die at this rate, you know." The entity spoke._

 _"I know! But... I don't know what I could do..!" Ciel hastily replied in a panicked whisper, his sight never leaving the horrid scene before him._

 _"You could form a contract with me. I could put all of this to an end in a blink of an eye; I can grant any wish that you so desire for a simple exchange."_

 _"I-I'll do anything - just tell me what you want!" The boy choked out; the words in his throat growing heavy and making it difficult for him to voice them._

 _"Are you certain you'd be willing to give up your soul? You do know that once the contract is complete, you won't be able to go to either Heaven nor Hell..?"_

 _"I don't care!" He screamed, this time finally looking over to the demon with a fire burning in his eyes so harshly, the demon couldn't help but to grin at this._

 _"Very well. Once your first order has been made, the contract will be made. So... what shall it be?"_

 _" **KILL THEM!** " Ciel shouted, eyes closed tightly as a gust of wind blew through the air. In the second it took for his eyes to open, he saw that everyone around him was already lying motionlessly on the ground. The entire room began to wreak of blood, causing the boy's nose to wrinkle up in disgust as he quickly pinched his nose shut with his thumb and index finger._

 _The demon stood at the entrance of the cage, holding his hand out for the boy so he could help him out._

 _Ciel reached out with his free hand, accepting the demon's gesture. He quickly exited the small box and immediately ran across the room to his sister who lied perfectly frozen on the table with her eyes closed, glistening tears trailing down the sides of her face as her features were contorted in a pained expression. "Cerelia, look at me! We're going to get out of here, okay?" He spoke, trying to reassure the agonized girl as he rushed to remove the restraints from her limbs._

 _"I don't believe she can hear you in the state she's in." The demon spoke up, lingering behind the small boy. "By the looks of it, I would say she has less than a day to live. That is, if she doesn't receive proper treatment soon. Then, it will be up to luck if she survives or not."_

 _"Shut up!" Ciel exclaimed as he roughly wiped the tears from his eyes. "Just carry her, alright?"_

 _"As you wish."_


	2. Sleeping Beauty

Six people occupied the parlor: Ciel, Sebastian, Madame Red, Lau, Ran Mao, and Grell. They were sitting in chairs that were placed along the walls, surrounding the billiard table that sat in the center of the room.

"Will you pass on this turn too?" Angelina asked, gazing over at her nephew.

Ciel simply folded his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair, a slight grin pulling at his lips. "Of course. It's my policy not to hit balls I know I can't sink."

The woman chuckled lightly as she stood up and made her way around the table, "Very well, then."

As she made her move, her brunette butler took a seat beside the young earl. "If I may, my lord, there's something I'd like to say to you."

"Oh? And what might that be?" The boy inquired, raising a brow slightly as he waited for the servant's answer.

Grell tilted his head faintly as he spoke, "Someone as young as yourself being able to carry out the duties as the head of the house is truly admirable. It must be very difficult for you, though... Having so many responsibilities piled onto you along with the death of your beloved parents and sister, it really-"

 _"Cerelia's not dead!"_ Ciel suddenly shouted with a fire burning behind his visible cerulean hue as he clenched his fists tightly and stood from his seat.

Everyone in the room was wide-eyed and speechless, not quite expecting the young noble to lose his composure like that. It was completely out of character for him, so it's not that surprising that they didn't really have the slightest clue as to how they should react.

"I-I'm sorry!" The brunette exclaimed, quickly standing from his seat as he repetitively bowed to the boy. "Forgive me, I was wrong to-"

"It's fine." He muttered, once again cutting the servant off as he looked away. "If you'll excuse me, I just remembered that there are some matters I must attend to in my study. I don't have time for games right now..." He uttered lowly, walking over towards the exit of the room and reaching out for the doorknob with his thin digits.

"O-Of course..." Grell replied quietly, lowering his head shamefully as he sat back down.

"Would you like for me to accompany you, young master?" Sebastian asked, peering over towards the boy. Truth be told, the butler was actually quite surprised the boy didn't react worse. He was quite used to seeing him lose his poise over this specific subject. It either amused or annoyed him, depending on the day. Today, it just so happened to amuse the sadistic demon.

Ciel didn't bother looking back as he grumbled, "I'm fine by myself." He then left the room, shutting the oaken door behind him.

"I've never seen the earl lose his calm before." Lau spoke up, grinning ever so slightly as he glanced over everyone. "I almost forgot how young the little lord is. His level of maturity distracts you from the fact that he's still just a child."

At that moment, Madame Red angrily slapped Grell on the back of the head. "Why would you say something so insensitive to that precious child?!"

The poor servant covered his head with his arms whilst he whined, "I didn't mean to! I only intended on praising the young lord!"

Sebastian chuckled lightly as a result of the commotion. "It's quite alright. My young master isn't the type to dwell on things and hold grudges." The raven butler's pale lips curled up into a small grin at the irony of his words.

The brunette nervously scratched the back of his head, "Still, I'd like to apologize for my-"

"That won't be necessary." Sebastian stated sternly with a curt, dismissive wave of his hand. "Bringing it up again will only prolong the young master's current temperament. It would be best to simply forget about it."

"The butler's right." Lau noted, "We should all give the little lord some space."

* * *

Ciel's chest began to ache as he roamed through the hallway and before he knew it, his feet led him directly to Cerelia's room. He always seemed to find himself here whenever he was feeling troubled, whether it was on purpose or not. A small sigh slipped past his pale lips as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a key. He unlocked the door in front of him and entered the room, carefully closing it behind him.

Although it _is_ true that Cerelia is still alive, she hasn't regained consciousness since that day. She's been stuck in a coma for the past two years, with the consumption of Sebastian's blood being the only thing keeping her heart beating.

Countless doctors from all across England have come to examine her, but they all came to the same conclusion- _it'd take a miracle for her to wake up again_. Despite these pessimistic hypotheses, Ciel still has hope that she'll wake up. He _knows_ that she'll wake up someday. Though, he _was_ fairly impatient about it.

Nevertheless, with Sebastian's help, Ciel still strived to keep her alive and well until she could finally open her eyes again. She's the only thing left in the world that he truly cares about; he couldn't give up on her. It just wasn't an option.

The young noble strolled over to the bed the sleeping girl occupied and sat down by her feet, gazing over to her peaceful form. Her cerulean hair cascaded messily all around her, long ebony lashes held her eyes shut, and her milky skin was as smooth as a newborn's. Lying there like that, she resembled a porcelain doll. It was hauntingly beautiful.

Ciel's heart grew heavy as he shifted his gaze away from her delicate frame. "Won't you just open your eyes already, and show everybody that you're still alive?" He questioned quietly. The weight of his words had almost caused them to get stuck in his throat. "You can't sleep forever, you know. You'll have to wake up sometime, so why not _now_? What are you waiting for?"

Moments passed, and there was no sign of Cerelia responding to his requests. Not like he had really even expected to receive a response anyways, but still. The silence was nerve-wracking.

A sigh escaped his lips as he stood from the bed, "It was foolish of me to even bother trying..." Just as the boy made his way to the door and reached out for the handle, it had already begun to turn from the other side. The door swung open, and there in the entrance stood Sebastian.

"Ah, young master, I had a feeling you would be in here." The raven butler spoke with a well hidden grin. He picked up on the noble's habits rather quickly, and it entertained him to a great extent. Normally, his master was a cruel, ruthless creature who did not care to manipulate and throw people away like life was just one big game- but if you were to mention _Cerelia_ , he still had the heart of a child. It was utterly amazing to observe the earl's multiple sides.

"What did you come in here for?" Ciel asked, looking up at the man with an apathetic expression; immediately returning to his regular demeanor upon contact with the demon. Even now, he was still trying to mask his true emotions to appear tougher in front of the butler; however, to no avail, Sebastian could see right through him.

"The guests have left, and I've come with a letter from Lady Elizabeth." He replied stoically, pulling an envelope out from his breast pocket.

"Jeez..." The earl sighed halfheartedly, brushing loose strands of hair behind his ear as he shifted his gaze, crossing his thin arms over his chest. "I presume she intends on visiting?"

Much to Ciel's displeasure, the butler nodded his head in confirmation with a devious smirk. "So it would seem."

"Joy." He replied, the sour taste of sarcasm lingering on his pale lips as he then rose a brow. "When will she be here? Next week? A few days? _Tomorrow_?"

"Ah, yes; about that-" But before the butler could get another word out, the earl was tackled the moment he set foot out into the hallway.

"Oh, Ciel~!" The blonde exclaimed in a melodic tone, her arms wrapped securely around the boy and spun him around as a bright smile formed across her ivory features. "I missed you so much!"

"L-Lizzy!" Ciel struggled to find his voice as a result of the sudden unexpected embrace. He managed to pry her arms off of him as he then brushed off and readjusted his clothing. "How many times do I have to tell you to send a letter _in advance_ to your visits?"

"But I did send a letter before." She blinked innocently, tilting her head slightly as she brought a finger to her chin; her smile softening. "I slipped the letter through the door precisely eight seconds before I entered the manor."

"Lizzy..." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose irritably.

"Technically speaking, that _is_ in advance, my lord." Sebastian spoke up, his smirk visibly evident to the two teens.

Elizabeth nodded her head and smiled radiantly. "See? I did just as you asked!"

The earl simply rolled his eyes as he folded his arms above his chest. "Well, you're already here so there's no use arguing over it. However, next time, send a letter at _least_ a _day_ before you arrive, alright?"

The blonde chuckled warmly, "Understood!" She then glanced around the area they were currently occupying before an expression of realization had struck her. "Ah, were you in Cerelia's room? Do you mind if I go and greet her?"

Ciel nodded as the corners of his pale lips curled upwards into a faint smile that no one aside from himself knew was there. "Do as you please." He replied, reopening the door to Cerelia's room as he tried to pretend he didn't care, when in reality, he was actually extremely happy Elizabeth wanted to go speak to her.

He'd never admit it, but he really cherished Elizabeth's visits to the manor. She was the _only_ person aside from himself who had hope in Cerelia waking up. She was the only other person who believed in it, and for that, Ciel was eternally grateful to her.

The pair walked into the bedroom and stood at the side of the bed, both sets of eyes locked on the sleeping beauty that lied snug underneath the duvet. She didn't even look real, she resembled a doll or an angel more than she did an actual person. The air that surrounded her was ethereal, like she was some sort of gift from the heavens. No matter how many times anyone could look at her, they'd always be rendered breathless.

"If you'll excuse me, I must go retrieve the young mistress' medicine." Sebastian spoke up softly, quietly making his exit.

Elizabeth gently sat down beside the girl on the bed, taking the bluenette's small hand into her own; their fingers intertwined affectionately. The blonde smiled down at her warmly, "It's nice to see you again, Cerelia. I missed you so much as well; I've been wondering how you've been doing." She reached her free hand up to the younger girl's face and brushed some misplaced strands of hair behind her ear. "Your cheeks are looking extra rosy today, so I guess you must be doing well." Her smile softened and she retracted her hand as she then tilted her head ever so slightly. "I assume this means you plan on waking up soon, right? I really hope so. Don't you know how much I miss hearing your sweet voice or looking into those big blue eyes of yours? I miss it a lot... So wake up soon, okay?"

Almost as if on cue, Cerelia's frail digits squeezed Elizabeth's hand with vague pressure. Even with its subtlety, Elizabeth immediately noticed the force she felt tighten around her hand. It was unmistakable, and she _knew_ she didn't just imagine it. She _really_ felt Cerelia squeeze her hand.

Emerald orbs instantly widened in surprise as the blonde promptly turned to look at Ciel, "She squeezed my hand!"

The boy's visible hue lit up as he stood at the girl's side, hovering above his sister's form as he scanned her features for any sign of motion. "Cerelia?" He whispered softly, mentally praying that she would do _something_ to signify that she could hear him. "Are you waking up?"

Before anything more could be said, the butler reappeared in the doorway with a small glass that contained a deep crimson liquid. "Why don't the two of you continue your socializing in the garden? The weather is beautiful today, and I'm afraid the young mistress will need to rest after she's received her medicine."

Elizabeth was hesitant to respond, not really knowing what to say in this situation. She simply glanced from the butler to Ciel with a somewhat troubled look on her face.

The earl had turned away from his twin and peered over to Sebastian, eyes constricted intently as his brows came to a furrow. "Cerelia squeezed Lizzy's hand when she spoke to her. What if that means she could hear her and is trying to wake up?"

A reluctant sigh slipped out the demon's mouth as he then spoke in a calm, soothing voice. "As much as I'd like to support your theory, it's just a muscle spasm. It's been happening quite a lot to the young mistress; it's not by her own will. However, the occurrences seem to be happening more frequently, so perhaps this very well means she _may_ wake up soon; this is precisely why she needs to be given her medicine and some rest. These things take time, my lord."

As much as Ciel wanted to argue with the servant, he knew that what he was saying was true. After all, Sebastian couldn't lie to him. His hope only grew stronger, though; hearing _that demon_ of all people say that there's a chance she'll wake up soon, seeing as he seemed to be the most pessimistic about the possibility.

"...Fine." Ciel finally spoke up in a restrained voice. With much disinclination, he took Elizabeth's hand. "Come on... Lets go in the garden."

She immediately flashed a smile and nodded her head, golden curls bouncing as a result of the movement.

"I'll be with you two shortly with some refreshments," Sebastian called out as they left. He then shut the bedroom door as he turned his attention towards the unconscious noble. A devious grin tugged at his ivory lips as he made his way to her side, gently sitting down on the bed. He removed a single glove and traced his fingertips across the girl's soft, milky arm.

She truly was a awe-inspiring creature, her beauty could outshine even that of an angel. She was so pure and fragile; one wrong movement and she would shatter like glass.

He brought the mug up to his face, and took in all of the medicine in his mouth as he then cupped Cerelia's cheeks in his hands and leaned forward; pressing his lips against hers as he forced the medicine down her throat. It was a bit of a vulgar way to feed her the medicine, but it was the most efficient method for it to actually go down her throat.

A small amount of the scarlet liquid trickled from one of the corners of her mouth, trailing down to her jawline. The demon wiped the substance away with one swift movement of his thumb as he then admired the girl's porcelain features. He put his glove back on and stood up, offering her one last glance. "My, my. Quite the heavy sleeper, aren't you? It's well past time for you to wake up, young mistress. I don't know why you insist on behaving so stubbornly, you're making the young master quite upset."

Of course, there was no reply. Just silence until the butler exited the room, the door creaking as Cerelia was once again left by herself.


	3. Fairy Tale Truth

Two weeks had passed since the day Cerelia squeezed Elizabeth's hand, and the occurrence of these muscle spasms had been happening less and less often. This only caused heartache and doubt to arise within the earl, but he didn't allow his feelings to peek through. He merely pushed the thoughts of it all to the back of his mind, not offering the negativity the slightest bit of acknowledgement as he went about his daily routine.

What use is moping around going to be? Feeling sorry for himself certainly wasn't going to make Cerelia wake up any faster, so of course he'd just ignore it. He's been enduring this too long to get weak now.

Anyways, Elizabeth was going to visit again today, so Ciel patiently awaited her arrival in the entrance hall. He glanced out one of the many windows, watching as the trees and flowers swayed in the summer breeze. It was still early morning, so the sun hadn't completely risen yet; its subtle shine showed through the trees, protruding past the branches as it slowly emerged in the sky.

After a few moments of just waiting and observing, Elizabeth's carriage could finally be seen pulling up in front of the manor. As soon as the young noble noticed this, he peered over his shoulder and was instantly met with Sebastian's presence. "Make it known when you enter a room," the boy muttered with a small scowl.

This had caused a slight grin to tug at the butler's lips as he placed a hand over his chest and bowed, "My apologies, young master."

"Whatever." Ciel stood up from his seat, readjusting his clothes as he then turned to face the large set of doors. "Lets go."

The noble and servant both left the mansion, walking down the path that led to where Elizabeth's carriage was parked. As soon as they got there, Sebastian opened up her door and offered her his hand, helping her keep her balance as she stepped out from it and onto the ground.

Immediately upon exit, Elizabeth jumped forward, throwing her arms around Ciel as she gave him one of her usual bear hugs. "Good morning, Ciel~!" She beamed, rocking them both back and forth as she greeted the boy.

"Good morning to you too, Lizzy." He replied as he returned the embrace, but with much less enthusiasm than she had. He then pulled away from her, meeting her gaze as he spoke, "Lets go inside. Sebastian will have breakfast ready shortly; we can talk in the dining hall in the meantime."

She nodded her head, golden curls bouncing as she offered yet another beautiful smile.

* * *

The two nobles sat across from each other at the narrow ends of the large table, several feet of wood between the pair, keeping them at a distance from each other.

Elizabeth pouted her lip in a displeased manner, furrowing her brows at the bluenette. "Ciel, must we sit so far apart? I want to sit beside you, not ten feet away from you."

"Sit wherever you'd like, it's not mandatory for you to sit all the way down there." He replied casually, shrugging his shoulders lightly as he folded his arms over his chest. "Besides, you chose that seat on your own."

"I thought you'd come sit down here with me," she explained. She quickly shook off her pout, replacing it with a simper as she rose from the chair and pushed it in. "But that's alright, I'll come sit over there with you instead." She made her way over to the other end of the table, taking a seat to the right of Ciel. He was sitting at the corner of the table, so they weren't directly beside each other, but it didn't really matter to the girl. It was a much closer spot than where she was previously sitting, so oh well.

"Better?" He questioned, glancing over to her curiously.

She nodded, scooting closer to the table so she could rest her arms atop it. There was a brief moment of silence before her eyes suddenly widened and she quickly looked over to Ciel, "Oh! There was something I wanted to tell you!"

"Go on." He instructed, giving her his full attention as he waited to hear what it was she had to say.

"Yesterday while I was in the library, I read something that helped me come to a very important realization..." She placed a thoughtful finger on her chin as she stared off in no particular direction. "You see, usually when something bad happens to a princess in a story, her Prince Charming comes to the rescue. Say the princess was poisoned or cursed and it caused her to fall into a deep sleep: how do you suppose she would be woken up?"

A single ashen brow rose as the boy once again shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, Lizzy. How?"

"With true love's kiss!" The blonde exclaimed, slamming her hands down on the table. "Gosh, Ciel, you know so much, but you don't know _that!_ "

"I don't read children's books," he uttered solemnly, "Much less ones about _princesses_."

A deadpan expression claimed the girl's features for the briefest of moments before she shook it off. "Anyways, what I wanted to say was that I've come to a decision." She immediately stood up from her seat, taking a dignified pose as she held her head up high and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm going to be Cerelia's Prince Charming, and I'm going to wake her up with my kiss!"

The earl rolled his eyes as a result of her display before lowering his head and pinching the bridge of his nose in a dubious manner. "I think you read too many fairy tales."

"I'm right and I'll prove it to you!" She declared, flashing a big, bright, toothy smile. "Just you watch, you're going to feel so silly for doubting me~"

He shook his head as he looked away, uttering a careless, "Good luck with that."

"Is the door to her bedroom unlocked?" She asked, actually stepping away from the table. She was really going to do this. Of all of Elizabeth's antics, this one definitely topped the list as the most outrageous.

"It is," he answered. A single visible cerulean hue peered over to her one last time as he said, "But don't take too long. The food will be brought out at any minute." He wasn't actually expecting her to go and kiss Cerelia, he figured she was just pulling another frivolous act to lighten the mood a little bit. It wasn't that uncommon for her, really.

* * *

The blonde was perfectly fine and confident with her resolution, but the moment she sat down by the unconscious girl's side, her heart started pounding like a drum in her chest so intensely that she could feel it in her ears. Why was she getting so nervous? It was just going to be a little kiss on the forehead, and with _Cerelia_ of all people. She's kissed Cerelia's forehead countless times before, so what made this one so different?

"It'll work... I told Ciel that I'd do it, so I will. It'll work." She took a deep breath and leaned forward, only to pause inches from Cerelia's face. "No, that's not right... The prince always kisses the princess on the lips, not the forehead. It won't work if it's not on the lips." There was a bit of hesitance, but she eventually lowered her head, her pastel lips gently grazing over Cerelia's own as she then applied soft pressure to them, placing down a delicate kiss.

She lingered there for a few seconds before pulling away, reopening emerald eyes that didn't even remember coming to a close. Her gaze scanned over the bluenette's features, searching for any sense of motion. When nothing happened, she faintly poked the little mole that was directly under the girl's right eye with her index finger. "That was supposed to be the part where you woke up," Elizabeth whispered, poking the beauty mark once again.

She released a small sigh as she stood up and turned away, disappointed, but also feeling a bit foolish for thinking such a silly thing would even work in the first place. Coming to the conclusion that it really was just fairy tale fiction, she decided to leave the room and go back to Ciel.

* * *

Elizabeth returned to the dining hall just in time for breakfast to be served. She took her seat beside the bluenette and smiled radiantly as Sebastian and Mey-Rin sat out the plates of food along the table.

"So..." Ciel spoke up, lifting up his fork with two careful fingers, "Did you fulfill your role as Prince Charming?" If it weren't already obvious, he didn't really know what to talk about. Might as well just indulge the girl's previous tomfoolery.

Just as rose petal lips had parted to speak, the sudden sound of glass shattering cut them off before they even had the chance to voice a single vowel.

All eyes turned to the clumsy maid who stood frozen in place, eyes wide and face pale like she had just seen a ghost.

"Oh, no... Are you alright?" The blonde asked, worried the servant was feeling ill by the lack of color in her cheeks.

"Y-Y..." Mey-Rin stuttered, slowly raising a shaky hand as she pointed towards the entrance of the room. "Y-Young m-m-mistress Cerelia!" She quickly exclaimed, shocked and breathless.

Ciel's heart dropped as a result of her words, and he sat there perfectly still, his gaze still stuck on the maid. He was afraid to turn around - afraid that he was misinterpreting what Mey-Rin had meant by saying Cerelia's name.

 _But he had to know_...

So, the young earl slowly began to turn his head. He couldn't dare to move any faster; it was taking all he had to keep his composure, one slip up in his actions and it would all come crumbling down. Just as his gaze finally hit the room's entrance, it was like time had completely stopped.

"Ciel!" Elizabeth exclaimed, shooting up from her seat with tears glazing over emerald orbs. She was just as amazed and dumbfounded as he was.

The boy couldn't even respond, he just... sat there in awe; taken aback and speechless at what he was currently witnessing.

There in the doorway stood his twin sister, Cerelia. _And she was awake_. She was standing there all on her own, _fully conscious_ despite what countless doctors had predicted for her. She had even managed to leave her room, walk all the way down the hall, _and_ make it down the grand staircase _without any help at all_.

"I told you it would work!" Elizabeth squealed, a giant smile plastered to her face as she wiped away a few fallen tears. "I told you I was Cerelia's Prince Charming!"


	4. Foreign Reality

Thick lashes reluctantly parted, exposing two twinkling azure orbs that held an expression of immense confusion. Warmth lingered against her lips like life had just been breathed into her, leaving her breathless and otherwise pale face flushed with crimson. Ashen brows came to a furrow as she blinked a few times, trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden brightness she was enveloped in. She slowly reached her fingertips up to her mouth, lightly grazing over soft skin to feel the heat that resided there as she looked around the room.

Just when she had realized where she was, she heard the sound of the door creaking open in the opposite direction from where she was staring. Livid locks messily fell down her back as she shot up in her bed, seeing Elizabeth exit the room. She had opened her mouth to speak, to call out to the blonde, but her voice had failed her. Not even the peep of a single vowel could escape her throat, and as a result, rose petal lips came to a small pout of displeasure.

It was Elizabeth, she knew that for sure, but... something about her seemed very different. There was an air of familiarity to her, but also an air of unfamiliarity... Maybe it was Cerelia's imagination, but she looked a little bit older than she remembered? Perhaps it's just because she was wearing makeup? But Cerelia could only see the back of her, so that couldn't be it... Maybe she just looked taller? Heels could be the explanation for that, then.

Anyways, wasting time trying to pinpoint just _what_ about Elizabeth was different wasn't doing anything for the girl. Following after her and actually _speaking_ to her would give Cerelia all the answers she needed. At least, that's what she was hoping.

The bluenette swung her legs over the edge of the bed, forcing her tired body to hold her up as she took a shaky step forward. Her feet felt like they were carrying a body three times the girl's actual weight, struggling to get her across the room. She didn't have the slightest clue as to why her legs felt so heavy or why her body felt so weak - she didn't even remember going to bed in the first place. Everything was so puzzling to her; she didn't understand any of it.

Somehow, she managed to make it all the way to the door. She cracked it open and peered out, only to see that Elizabeth was already down the hall and out of sight. She mentally sighed as she then pushed the hefty door open, both of her tiny hands placed against it as she used all of her strength to move it. Why was the door so heavy? She couldn't bother to ponder about it further, putting all of her energy and focus into getting down the hallway.

Delicate fingers trailed along the wall as she leaned against it for support. The further she got, the easier it became for her to walk more steadily. Maybe her legs were just asleep, so that's why she was having such a difficult time moving them? That was the only thing that really made any sense to her.

Eventually, she made it down both the hallway and the grand staircase. While her legs were becoming used to carrying her body, she still _did_ have a minor struggle getting down the stairs all by herself. Regardless, she made it, and from where she stood she could very faintly hear the sound of voices chatting in the direction of the dining hall. So, she began walking once again.

She paused at the entrance of the dining hall, peeking into the room with constricted cerulean hues. There at the table sat Elizabeth and some boy with an eyepatch. Cerelia couldn't really make out his features since he was so far away, but something about him seemed oddly familiar, and it made her chest start to hurt.

Before any further observation could be done, she was spotted by the maid who stood by the two nobles, sitting out their food. The servant had dropped one of the empty plates she was about to place down as a result of her gaze landing on the bluenette, and a look of utter shock and disbelief took over her expression while she let out a shriek. She had called out Cerelia's name, but as for how she even knew it, the girl had no idea.

Elizabeth had shot up from her seat and turned to face Cerelia, a film of tears glazing over her mesmerizing emerald orbs as she then shouted, "Ciel!"

This reaction had only caused the heartache Cerelia felt to tenfold, forcing her legs to revert back to feeling weak and wobbly like they were jelly.

That boy over there with the eyepatch... that's Ciel? That couldn't be right, this boy looked so much meaner and intimidating than Ciel did. There was no way that could possibly be him - she had to be misinterpreting Elizabeth's words.

Even so, blue eyes locked on the boy's frame, waiting for him to turn and face her so she could confirm her suspicions. And soon enough, he did. He turned his head at an agonizingly slow pace and looked at the girl, his single visible hue widening just as much as hers did when their gazes met.

That... _is_ Ciel. But what had happened to him? Was he just dressed up in a costume? Halloween was months ago, though, so that didn't make any sense... Unless Elizabeth made him do it? That was a plausible explanation. But he looked older too, though... She just didn't get it. What happened while she was sleeping? Were they both just pulling a prank on her? If so, then it wasn't a very funny one at all. This was absolutely cruel.

"I told you it would work!" Elizabeth squealed, a giant smile plastered to her beautiful face as she rose a hand to wipe away a few of her fallen tears. "I told you I was Cerelia's Prince Charming!"

The bluenette was beginning to feel lightheaded, and she could feel her legs trembling as she fought to keep herself standing. For some reason unknown to her, she started to feel incredibly sick all of a sudden. She had to grip the wall frame with both of her hands and lean her body against it just so she wouldn't fall down.

"Cerelia?" Ciel called out, his voice full of worry as he stood from his seat cautiously.

As much as she wanted to respond to him, she just couldn't. It felt like if she were to even _try_ to utter a single syllable, she'd throw up. Her words were stuck in her throat, and her heart was pounding like a drum in her chest. Why was this happening?

 _"SEBASTIAN!"_ Was the last thing her ears managed to catch before everything became weightless and the foreign world around her was engulfed in pitch blackness.


End file.
